River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-08-18
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.

bliOSc ScthliiE W blCdh tiC VIII was
middle-aged South Carolinian of fiery
temper, while the leader of those in
heriting was man from Ohio. 1t was
made plain TO me before | had been
in Charleston two days that the con-
testants were determined to 90 to any
length. The Judge of the court was
an old man who could be brow-beaten
and bluffed, their two lawyers were
noted for the number of duels they had
fought, and the heirs had no friends in
or out of court. / was at once APP
preached with direct offer to sell out.
A person was sent to my room at the
hotel to make me the offer, and within
an hour after he was kicked out
the enemy tried another move. The
following note was sent to me through
the office of the hotel:
MIR BLANK: beg you to heed the warn
| ing of friend. Withdraw from the case of
Crane agt. Cox and save your life. You
will surely be killed if you don't.
laughed at the idea. Had | arrived
in Charleston to stir up trouble among
the slaves should have expected to take
my chances of being knitted, shot, or
| lYnched, but if the contestants in a will
case could drive me off by threats, or
dared attempt my life, the times had
come to pretty hard pass. As | did
not NOW who had sent the note could
not reply t. it, nor did | let its contents
bother my mind. 1t might have come
from a friend, or it might be a ruse on
the part of the enemy.
had about four days to prepare for
the opening of my case. 1t was on call
for Tuesday. On Monday afternoon 1
had occasion to 20 to the public library
to hunt up some dates. and TO look
thr Ugh the files of the Mercury. l was
engaged in this work when tall, slim
representative Southerner entered the
room. He had long black hair, black
eyes. dark complexion, and a nervous
movement. After making a turn or
two around the room heapproached the
table at which | stood and said
You have taken an unwarranted
| liberty, sir"
''In what respect"
Il always come here at this hour to
consult those files. and you have thrust
yourself in to insult me.
MY dear sir, | was never in this
room before to-day, and so far from
being aware of your habit | did not
even know of your existence. | am
through with the file, and am also
about ready to vacate the room, which
/ suppose is public"
There's my card, sir" he exclaimed,
as he jerked a pasteboard from his vest
pocket and extended it.
The card bore the address: "A.
Mcknight. New Orleans" 1t wasn't
a bit singular that he had it handy to
throw at me, for he had come prepared.
Glad to meet you, sir, l said, As |
read the address.
You have insulted me, and demand
satisfaction A friend of mine will
wait on you this afternoon
With that he turned and walked of,
leaving me completely upset. / sat
down to think it over, and it did not
take me long to come to
the conclusion that it was the
NOIk VI lLlt NOlNGNAtAilAS. iltN
had imported man, probably pro-
fessional duelist, to force me into a duel
and have me killed off. He had entered
the library for no other purpose than
to force a quarrel, and a ilimsier pre-
text for duel was never heard of. |
was man of peace, and would have
sacrificed much to keep out of trouble,
but this thing fired my blood. and
seized my hat and ran out on the street,
determined to give him better excuse
for calling me out. As luck would
have il, | encountered him within
hundred steps He was coming toward
me. and as we met gave him a vigor-
Gus slap across the mouth with my open
hand. II reached for his pistol TO
shoot me down then and there, but
seized him by the shoulders and flung
him against dead wall with such force
that he was stunned. walked off and
left him lying there in a heap. and al
though now realized that il was i'm
possible for me to refuse a challenge,
| was much better satisfied than before.
If ! must fight there was some excuse
for it.
In about two hours the leader of the
contestants called upon me as the friend |
and second of Mcknight. He was in |
an exultant mood Mcknight was a |
professional duelist, and | must fight |
at great odds or sneak out of the city |
and abandon the case. | think he |
counted on my making an abiect apollo |
gv and agreeing to leave the city, for |
he was greatly cast down wnen / said |
Il believe that dueling is but another |
name for murder, but under present |
circumstances / shall sink my scruples !
and accept the challenge. Under the |
rules of the code | have the choice of |
weapons. Return here at 9 o'clock in
the morning and | will name the weap- |
ons and win also be ready to proceed to
the field
He argued that no true gentleman /
would ask for anything more than pis- |
tolls at ten PAGES, but ] was firm. The
meeting was settled for the second 1
morning at 8 O'Clock, and the second /
went away to wait for my decision.
Was | upset? Yes. Did / have
cowardly fear? No. 1t was a night
those of the man who knows that he is
to be led out to death at a certain date.
/ was just as firmly resolved to fight
that man as | could resolve on any
thing. but the burden on my mind was
enough to unstring every nerve was
no shot with pistol or rife, and had
never handled a sword. He had every
advantage in that respect. Two-thirds
of the day had passed before | made
up my mind how we should fight. 1t
would be certain death to both, but it
was the only way 10 even up our
chances. We should stand foot to foot,
with the muzzles of the pistols at each
others hearts.
When Meningitis second came for
the decision, and / gave it TO him, he
turned whittier than snow. He offered
to accept any sort of apology, aud he
finally offered to let the matter drop.